By Lin Grensing-Pophal for HR Daily Advisor The post-pandemic era has ushered in a new normal for the workforce, with remote work becoming a staple for many organizations. This shift has brought unique challenges and opportunities, particularly in the realm of employee training. As companies adapt to this change, developing effective strategies for remote training is crucial to ensure employees remain skilled, engaged, and productive. Engaging Remote Learners One of the primary challenges of remote training is maintaining engagement. Without the physical presence of a classroom, trainers must find innovative ways to capture and retain learners’ attention. Interactive elements such…
Are Return to Work Policies About a Lack of Trust?
By Lin Grensing-Pophal for HR Daily Advisor The push for return-to-office (RTO) policies by some employers is raising questions about trust in the workplace. To what extent are RTO policies driven by a belief in the value of in-person collaboration versus a fear that employees will slack off unless under the watchful eye of managers? As explored in Fortune’s “The Trust Factor” series, this trend suggests that, for some employers, the move back to the office is partly driven by a lack of trust in their remote workforce. RTO Mandates Diminish Trust The series highlights how managers’ return-to-office mandates can make…
The Changing Nature of Business Travel in the Age of Remote Work
By Lin Grensing-Pophal for HR Daily Advisor The landscape of business travel has undergone a significant transformation in the wake of widespread remote work. As highlighted by Elizabeth Bennett in an article for BBC Worklife, “Remote work isn’t killing business travel—it’s transforming it,” the traditional purpose and nature of business trips are evolving to meet the new demands of a remote-work world.” New Reasons for Business Travel Bennett notes that while the days of in-person client meetings may be waning, employees are embarking on corporate trips for new reasons. Patricia Huska, chief people officer at American Express Global Business Travel, observes,…
5 Tips to Help Your Remote-First Workplace Culture Thrive
By Donna Platon for HR Daily Advisor Before 2020, having an exceptional workplace culture was synonymous with sprawling campuses and high-end amenities. But once people experienced the possibility and benefits of remote work, many had no desire to return to the office. Looking ahead, the ability to accommodate remote work may prove to be an important competitive advantage. Creating a remote-first culture is not second nature to most. But when implemented, organizations are able to tap into talent across the country while reducing employee attrition. Building a remote-first culture is possible, but it won’t happen overnight. That’s because it requires new ways of…
Embrace the Global Workforce with Minimal Risk and Maximum Reward
by Stephanie Coward for HR Daily Advisor In today’s interconnected world, traditional workforce concepts are rapidly changing. Some might even argue they have all but evaporated. As technology advances and communication barriers diminish, companies increasingly are tapping into the global talent pool to fuel growth, expand reach and cut costs. This paradigm shift, which began a decade ago but accelerated with the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown, and move to remote working, is evident as a growing business trend, in particular for companies based in the United States, choosing to hire employees remotely in Canada and Europe. However, this transformation is not without…
How to Keep a Growing Hybrid Workforce Engaged
By Jenni Kovach for HR Daily Advisor Keeping a growing workforce engaged poses a challenge under the most “normal” of circumstances. But as every HR professional knows, the last few years have been anything but normal. For IGS Energy, where I serve as Chief People Officer, there’s no doubt that things were simpler before the pandemic upended the way we work. Just before 2020, our company nearly doubled in size through some of the largest acquisitions in company history, as well as through organic growth. From how we work together to where we work, so much evolved in such a short time. While…
Five Ways Marketers Can Scale and Lead Remote Teams Effectively
by Jesse Liszka for MarketingProfs Losing the remote control is a fear of every TV enthusiast. And losing control is also a fear of marketers who lead remote teams—especially teams that they will need, in time, to scale. There are certainly obstacles for remote managers that can militate against good leadership and make scaling up trickier than it should be. This article will cover how those obstacles can be tackled. We'll start by looking at the growth in popularity of remote work for marketers and the characteristics of good virtual team leadership. Then we'll determine how you can get your remote…
Leveraging Collaboration Software for Remote and Hybrid Work
By Lin Grensing-Pophal for HR Daily Advisor Our world has turned decidedly digital and, in this environment, the way we work and communicate has experienced a seismic shift driven largely by pandemic experiences. No longer confined by physical workspaces, interactions have expanded beyond four walls, creating new teams that are increasingly remote, flexible, and global. In this new environment, collaboration software has emerged as a must-have tool to enable an intricate web of modern workplace communications. Effective Communication Has Always Been a Must for Businesses Workplaces have always had to ensure collaboration. That’s nothing new. Historically, whether through face-to-face meetings, written…
Ensuring Compliance and Security in a Remote Work Environment
By Lin Grensing-Pophal for HR Daily Advisor It’s an understatement to say that the pandemic experience has changed the business—and workplace—landscape forever. The shift to remote and hybrid work is not temporary as business leaders once believed. It’s here to stay. With this shift comes risk—and an increased need to ensure both compliance and security when employees are “out of sight, and out of mind.” How can businesses navigate this new terrain effectively? Understanding the Risks While the digital age and the ability to work remotely have offered businesses, and employees, a great deal of benefit, those benefits aren’t without…
Amazon’s Firm Stance on Remote Work
By Lin Grensing-Pophal for HR Daily Advisor The pandemic ushered in a new era of remote work, with companies around the world quickly adapting to virtual environments. As they navigate the post-pandemic landscape, businesses are faced with the challenging decision of whether to bring employees back to the office, adopt a hybrid model, or continue with remote work. Amazon, a global powerhouse, has made its stance clear. “Amazon CEO Andy Jassy told employees to get on board with the company’s return-to-office plan or to consider employment elsewhere,” Brian Fung writes in an article for CNN. Such a bold directive from the helm…